Entrepreneurs love to talk too much about what they do instead of the problem they solve. Customers don't wake up looking for your product or service. They wake up looking for a solution to a problem. For years, I could have said: "I own a roof rejuvenation company." But that doesn't mean much to someone who has never heard of roof rejuvenation. Instead, I learned to say: "We help property owners protect their investment, extend the life of their roof, and save tens of thousands of dollars by avoiding unnecessary roof replacement." Same business. Completely different message. The first tells people what we do. The second tells them why they should care. If your marketing isn't getting results, don't start by changing your product or service. Start by changing your message. Ask yourself: Does my customer immediately understand the problem I solve and the outcome I create? Because clarity doesn't just improve your marketing. It improves every conversation you have about your business.

You’re in the middle of your proposal, your prospect interrupts you and says, “I’ve seen enough. Show me the price.” How do you respond? Most salespeople try to defer pricing until they’ve shown “value” by saying something like this: “We can certainly get to the price, but before we do, I’d like you to see the value in what I’m offering. And I can’t do that until we go over all the details first. Responses like these destroy trust because it feels like you’re hiding something. You’re subconsciously saying, “That’s a dumb question.” The prospect feels like their parents are scolding them. My take? Questions aren’t something you dodge; they’re something you answer. Salespeople don’t determine value; buyers do. And buyers can’t determine value without price. So if a prospect asks for the price, tell them the price, even if it’s a range. Like this: Prospect: “I’ve seen enough show me pricing.” Salesperson: “It’s between 2-4K per month.” Then stop talking. Here’s how this typically plays out. Prospect: “Wow, that seems high.” Salesperson: “Seems like affordability might be an issue for you.” (Labeling: Chris Voss) From there, you might discover that price isn’t the real objection. Prospects: “Well, actually, we only can handle about 20 more customers a month, and your plan shows 40.” Or “This isn’t something we’re looking to do this quarter.” You get the idea. You’re seeing if the price is a smokescreen for other concerns. Or you might discover price is their only concern: Prospect: “It is. The price is more than I expected.” Salesperson: “I’m sorry. What did you expect?” Prospect: “$500 per month.” Salesperson: “Sounds like you’ve seen comparable solutions in that price range.” Prospect: “I haven’t, but this just seems high to me.” Detach from the outcome. Salesperson: “It feels like we should scale back the proposal and review some other options in your price range.” Prospect: “Yes. That would be great.” The takeaway? Let go of holding price hostage.

There’s never been a better time to be an entrepreneur!

One of the habits that has helped me the most in business is taking a few minutes each week to reflect. What's working? What's not? What's the mission next week? In the military, we reported our status. As entrepreneurs, we should do the same. That's what SITREP Saturday is all about. Every Saturday, report in using this simple format: 🏆 Biggest win = ⚠️ Biggest challenge = 🎯 Objective for next week = 🤝 Where you need support = Sharing your SITREP does three things: - It forces you to reflect on the week. - It creates accountability for the week ahead. - It gives this community an opportunity to help you succeed. I’ll post my SITREP in the comments to get us started. Now it's your turn. Report in below. 🫡

One of the best parts of being in a community is celebrating each other's wins. Every victory deserves to be recognized. A new client. A new partnership. A new contract. A business milestone. Or simply having the courage to take the next step. When we share our wins, we don't just celebrate progress. We remind other veterans what's possible. And sometimes, those wins open the door to even bigger opportunities. 👇 Share your biggest win from this week in the comments. I'll share mine too. It's a perfect example of how one relationship in the veteran community led to an opportunity I never expected. Let's celebrate each other's progress. 🫡